Anyone using WAFFLE with Tomcat installed as a Window Service?

I have a Windows 2003 x64 server. I installed Tomcat 6.0.28 as a Window Service. It starts up fine and is able to run my application. However, the WAFFLE valve is executed multiple times and creates 40 - 50 sessions. Has
anyone experience this kind of behavior?

So you're saying that your application ends up with multiple logins simultaneously, correct? How many actual TCP connections (and therefore HTTP connections) are opened from your application and how do you see these sessions? Finally, does this number
stabilize or do you end up with infinite growth with every request?

When I look at the catalina log it shows that I have been successfully logged in 5 - 6 times.

"How many actual TCP connections (and therefore HTTP connections) are opened from your application and how do you see these sessions?"

The Tomcat Manager shows that 20 - 25 sessions exist for my application. It depends on how many times I request an application page.

"Finally, does this number stabilize or do you end up with infinite growth with every request?"

I do not know at this time. I have not tested this condition. I will get back to you.

What I find confusing is that when I run the same Tomcat version manually as a local application on the same server, everything works fine. The console shows that WAFFLE valve is only executed once. This is the first time
I installed Tomcat as a Window service. I figured I was missing a configuration setting or somethiing.

I am very impressed on how quickly you respond to everyones requests. Any assistance in this matter would be appreciated.

When I look at the catalina log it shows that I have been successfully logged in 5 - 6 times.

There're several possible reasons to this. First, NTLM is a connection-based protocol, so if the browser establishes a new connection (as opposed to reusing a keep-alive connection) you are effectively logged-in again. Also, each NTLM POST requires a re-logon
every time data is posted (read
this). If your browser decides to do Kerberos instead of NTLM (you need an actual Active Directory and a valid SPN for the server), you will have less logins.

"How many actual TCP connections (and therefore HTTP connections) are opened from your application and how do you see these sessions?"

The Tomcat Manager shows that 20 - 25 sessions exist for my application. It depends on how many times I request an application page.

"Finally, does this number stabilize or do you end up with infinite growth with every request?"

I do not know at this time. I have not tested this condition. I will get back to you.

To start, I would speculate that the number of connections estalished is actually the number of sessions. You should confirm this by counting HTTP requests with IEHttpHeaders or something like that.

What I find confusing is that when I run the same Tomcat version manually as a local application on the same server, everything works fine. The console shows that WAFFLE valve is only executed once. This is the first time I installed
Tomcat as a Window service. I figured I was missing a configuration setting or somethiing.

It's certainly an interesting observation. Your service most likely runs as a different user and certainly different things are happening in terms of logon. It would be useful to compare side-by-side HTTP traces and server-side logs. You should collect
both and highlight differences in this thread.

I am very impressed on how quickly you respond to everyones requests. Any assistance in this matter would be appreciated.

To tell you the truth I am not sure why the Tomcat 6.0.28 Windows installer does not work. The Tomcat 6.0.18 extracted (unzipped) version on the same server works. I just created a Windows service from the Tomcat 6.0.18 tomcat6w.exe.
It works perfectly. I wish I had a resolution for the community, but I do not. Sorry:)